Is the COST OF FOOD expensive in MAURITIUS in 2023?

[@ReefRunner1]

Thanks for the updated video! We visited in June 2023 with an eye towards possibly retiring in the islands. We remotely studied 40 countries during the pandemic as possible retirement destinations to live in. When we visited Mauritius this year, we found that food prices were 40% cheaper than Bahrain, Saudi, and UAE. It was the biggest pleasant surprise of our visit. The quality was better too. Selection was excellent. As you mentioned there were a few gaps with things like lack of fresh milk. Healthy foods and snacks like nuts were a bit less plentiful and lower quality than in the Middle East gulf countries. But, fruits and vegetables were fresher, more plentiful, and better selection, including going well beyond the basics. Almost all of the wonderful Indo-Asian fresh spices and greens that my wife likes to cook with were more available (and we already consider the Middle East to be very good for that stuff compared to places like Europe and USA). And of course tropical fruits were everywhere. Another big surprise was the quality of meats were great: beef tenderloins, ribeyes, flanks; and very wide selection of pork, along with the usual staple poultry products. Overall, a great selection of local and imported products. Some of the French delights, such as Port Salut cheese, that are no longer found in many Middle East gulf countries are available in Mauritius, along with many other such treats. We import to the Middle East whole oats from Canada, dried sweet cherries from USA, as those are gaps, and we will probably need to do that in Mauritius as we didn't see any there. We are still looking for a source of rice bran oil (we are hoping to find that on our soon to be next visit). Other healthy oils were plentiful in Mauritius (canola, avocado, olive, etc.). For a remote island group (and we have visited many), the price and availability of food far exceeded our expectations. MAURITIUS - OTHER ASPECTS FOR WOULD BE RESIDENTS On other areas, about moving to Mauritius: housing was good. USD$2,000 to $3,000 per month will put you in 200 to 300-sq-m, on or very near the waterfront, and prices can go down from there in some neighborhoods as the distance from the waterfront increases. But, purchasing looks less reasonable (USD$1 to $3 million for the same). Although the rental prices may seem expensive to some, I don't think there are any better bargains in Doha, Dubai, Miami, or Singapore. I don't currently know of a place that combines Mauritius water friendly, tropical community, low crime, and good governance at a better price. Garages are rare and central air conditioning even rarer. But, beautiful views and gardens abound. Roads are very narrow (like England) and very bumpy (very much unlike some of the super-smooth western European roads, such as France and Germany). Cars are overpriced. The left hand side of the road driving thing is something that we are used to from the Bahamas, ANZ, Singapore, etc, but it does push up the cost of cars (as the worldwide manufacturers find those be a minority configuration). Along with some fairly stiff taxes on combustion chamber size, import fees, etc, and there aren't any locally manufactured cars (as to be expected). Electric car infrastructure hasn't really arrived yet, although if you own your own house in Mauritius you can put in your own charger. We would like to purchase an electric car. But, the local Hyundai / Kia dealer is listing the small Hyundai Kona EV electric for more money than it would cost to buy Hyundai's luxury Genesis GV60 SUV in most markets. That said, Mauritius is much better for the price of cars than Thailand (up to 300% of the worldwide basic cost for a well equipped Lexus RX) or Malaysia and Philippines (almost 200% for same). In the end anyway, we found that in Mauritius, there isn't a Lexus or Genesis dealer / agency, and the Toyota suspensions weren't up to absorbing the punishment from the bumpy roads. So we think the Hyundai Tucson (our real estate agent has one), Kia Sportage (we rented one), and BMW X3 (we rented one), did a much better job of giving a comfortable ride. The Tucson and Sportage are okay value, and maintainable. The BMW replacement parts prices will eat a big hole in your wallet once the vehicle is old enough to need new shock absorbers and stuff like that (say 6 to 9 years old). One thing to watch out for is that the Tucson and Sportage have tiny 1.6-Liter engines, so the Hybrid versions are necessary to have enough "oomph" to safely pull out into busy traffic. The non-hybrids are gutless wonders. It's a quirk of the Mauritius import taxation policies that some cars are very under-powered. Electrified cars, including hybrids, get a massive tax break and more power due to having high-torque electric motors, so it's best to concentrate on those. OEM car parts are much harder to find than in the Middle East (the Toyota dealer didn't even have replacement wiper blades or rubbers in stock for our rental 2019 RAV4), and other residents report a dearth of good quality third party replacement tires and batteries (aftermarket cheapos seem plentiful though). We are accustomed to having good stocks of Japaneses tires and batteries in the Middle East. So it would probably be best to consider importing things like that from Dubai if that is important to you. This is a well-worn path for many Middle Eastern gulf country residents trying to avoid triple-high costs on OEM parts due to regional monopolies. So this was an unpleasant surprise that we might need to continue to purchase even more parts from Dubai when living in Mauritius. Mauritius ranks among the safer countries in the world with a "Low" risk rating at Crisis24.com (our "go to" for situation reports). It lacks "gun culture," terrorism, and is ranked very low for violent crime. It ranks high on good governance. So when considering Mauritius, there is a lot that you "don't" need to worry about when evaluating whether to move there. Bureaucracy... they have it. We're used to it from it the Middle East and other places. I guess its a part of good governance that things are being well recorded. It's a bit less chaotic than we are accustomed to. Welcoming: Mauritius is very upfront that they want expats to move there. They have a very well communicated set of programs for that. Perhaps just behind Belize (BTW, a little less safe) and better than Seychelles (BTW, a little more expensive). Thanks to videos from Lucy (like this one) and Shane & Julia (the Rolfes) we became interested in "discovering" the above, and went for it. We used BTG Consulting to help us with the details (great value from Candice and Pravesh). Mauritius EDB has given us an Approval In Principle for residence permits, so its time to go do the final interview and hopefully collect our permits. If you are considering moving to Mauritius, and have a pension, watch the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) website for a Tax Ruling soon (maybe this month) that will provide further information on how to handle pension transfers from overseas. You won't want to miss it. Thanks again Lucy!!

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Wow, some really great info there. Seems like you're pretty happy with your move over here very soon?! All of the best!

[@Moniks30]

Thank you for this incredible, honest feedback. We are exploring retiring to Mauritius. This write-up validates our reasons :) Thank you!

[@Alpha-Cheeno]

Absolutely smashing review! Muchos, muchos gracias.

[@wuforever]

That's great. Help me with making a choice please. UAE, Thailand, Malaysia, Mauritius, Panama or??? Low cost of living, warm climate, good beaches, lots of sun, safe, good healthcare, good infrastructure, good internet, cheap consumer electronics, good car prices, affordable school tuition fees, affordable housing. We are with 2 no kids 35 M and 30 F. Looking for a low tax/zero tax country to retire

[@ReefRunner1]

@@wuforever I think a lot of this will be very subjective because the character of the places you mentioned is quite varied. I don't generally aim to choose places of interest to try to avoid all taxes (services can suffer badly in very low tax environments). Avoiding extremely high taxes seems wise if that is an option for you. Citizens of some countries are out of luck there anyway. Mauritius works for some people in regards to "low-ish" taxes, but their growth and need for infrastructure does seem to indicate that tax revenue is needed. So I wouldn't expect them to lower their taxes. Some petro-states are hanging on to low/no taxes, but most have introduced some taxes as growth, expansion, and infrastructure needs dictate. In general, I think of Arabia as an option for a place to work and they do have some good coral reefs if that is your thing and you are willing to travel around the Arabian Peninsula a bit to get to the better ones. I'm not much of a beach, nightlife, or trekking person, so I will leave that to others. Boating seems very good in most of the places you mentioned. I regard Malaysia, Mauritius, and Thailand very highly for their nature and I look forward to revisiting all. But learning 40 or so new alphabetical characters in the Thai language does seem a bit daunting. So I would give Malaysia and Mauritius an edge there, especially if you are already proficient in a language using Latin/Roman script (the stuff this message is made of). I enjoyed our travels to Malaysia and understand why many expats move there. I think there is some risk as various residency programs change over time. I've heard and seen good reports regarding healthcare in SE Asia. It's easy to point out that the highest priced cars that I have found (by far) are in Thailand (300% as compared to Arabia and USA). On the Crisis24 website, the current safety risk ratings are: "Low" risk: Mauritius, Panama, UAE. "Medium" risk: Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand. Best of luck, and cheers!

[@carolb8452]

What a pleasant surprise. You were missed. Absolutely love Mauritius. Thanks for sharing.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Thanks Carol. I really needed a break from the stress of KZbin! Hopefully I can rekindle some of my video creating joy 😊

[@holtcrowder]

So glad you are rested and back to making great videos.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Thank you!

[@zeldalagesse4026]

Hello Lucy. I just wanted to say a big Thank You to you. We are moving to Mauritius (Grand Baie) next week as my husband is a Mauritian citizen. I have watched every single one of your videos during the course of this year. You have made some a massive impact on my decisions and really helped me be prepared for life in Mauritius. Your work is just amazing. So once again, Merci Beaucoup.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Only a pleasure and good luck with your move over here!

[@santoshyadavvlog]

​@@LucyLeheilleixgood work 👏

[@nilsfohlin4489]

Heeey Lucy! Me and my girlfriend are moving to Mauritius from Sweden in two weeks, your videos are super!

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Great news! I hope you enjoy your time on the island.

[@Reed427]

The location of the supermarket is stunning.❤ Thank you Lucy for sharing this information. 😘

[@LucyLeheilleix]

My pleasure 😊

[@lucapuzzoli8363]

Graet to see you back! Thank you for the update.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Thanks Luca!

[@diannehiggs]

Good to see you back, Lucy! Yikes, those prices are hectic but not unexpected with the huge hikes in the price of fuel etc. I love shopping at SuperU when I'm there. Happy to say we've booked to come back in May next year for our 9th holiday - can't wait!

[@LucyLeheilleix]

That’s awesome that you’re coming back. Those items I chose are the cheapest ones too. I’ll do another with so called “luxury” goods. I guess food is expensive the world over now….All of the best 😄

[@diannehiggs]

@@LucyLeheilleix Yip, weekly trip to Checkers in Cape Town gives me palpitations at the moment.🤣Woolies is out of the question.

[@markoleppik5612]

thank you for making the video! Will be back in Feb :)

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Only a pleasure!

[@raq042189]

Love your videos. Can you please do a updated cost of living and a updated best place to live in the North and West

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Great suggestion! And thanks for watching.

[@philliproetz5030]

Good video Love the ZAR bit. Have you made a street or fast food and dining out video like this. God willingly we will be there early next year

[@justiceformenboys]

Thanks Lucy, very good!

[@kerrywhite5058]

Hi Lucy, what on earth is happening with notifications? You uploaded this video a month ago and I didn't receive a notification. I subscribed to you years ago. I found Mauritian food prices to be much cheaper than Australia. And of course there is the currency exchange rate that makes a holiday in Mauritius good value (in Winter the low season).

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Hi Kerry! I’m afraid KZbin is a bit of a mystery! Glad to see you’re still watching my videos 😊 Have a great day.

[@imanefarid8807]

Thank you for the video. Coming back next year for a visit after 20 years. I am in for a shock to say the least.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Yep, things have gone up. Electricity prices here now are crazy 😜

[@y2kbass]

woah! welcome back lucy, comparing the prices to here in seychelles, mauritius is still waaay cheaper than here.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

I think it's also cheaper than Tahiti too?! Thanks for the comment.

[@BryanDiscoversWorld]

Thanks Lucy, nice to see the prices there

[@LucyLeheilleix]

When are you back Bryan?

[@BryanDiscoversWorld]

Couple of month, we are enjoying a bit of travelling in SE Asia @@LucyLeheilleix

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Nice. Enjoy Bryan!

[@MaliRasko]

Living in Central Europe, EU. Pretty much every single thing from your list is much more expensive here (20-30%). Except for beer. Beer is around 1,2 EUR

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Thanks for your input. I shall do another one soon with more expensive items.

[@martinmartach5660]

Thank you for your nice videos 👍🏻

[@LucyLeheilleix]

My pleasure 😊

[@kemalkuazba4278]

I would appreciate it if you could also add liquid and powder detergents.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Thanks for the comment. Washing up liquid is around Rs60. Washing machine powder/liquid is Rs300 and kitchen cleaning spray is about Rs150 👍🏻

[@jungleboy1]

need to compare the local market prices to supermarket on fruit and veg. I have a feeling markets cost more, but i haven't been there for couple of years now and not since post covid

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Thanks for the comment. One has to be careful at markets as often the prices are not indicated.

[@eleanorbastian8430]

Great video. Thanks for the information.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

A pleasure! Thanks for watching.

[@cutecookiez87]

The cost of the one yellow pepper is shocking! The others however are relatively cheaper or comparable to 2023 prices in London, surprising considering the average wage in MRU is considerably less! Would love to see your take on how to navigate the markets if possible? Thanks for sharing 🙂

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Certain fruits and veg are really expensive here (like berries, avo's, asparagus, certain lettice). I will do another video shortly high lighting more expensive "luxury" goods. Thanks for the comment.

[@cutecookiez87]

My son and I are relocating to Mauritius next month! (running away from the rising costs in the UK!) Your videos really helped us with the decision. Hope you enjoy the coffee @@LucyLeheilleix

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Thanks for the coffee and best of luck with the move over here.

[@derrickc8366]

Hi Lucy, thanks for the info! I want to buy you a coffee but don't see the link. Maybe I can buy you and your hubby a beer in Dec...

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Hello! Link for a coffee is in the description. Have a wonderful day.

[@gerardy7500]

Cost of living has increased around the world. Mauritius, a tiny island that import lots of the consumer staples will be definitely be impacted.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

100% agreed!

[@zodwa2806]

Thank you

[@pratheeshm400]

What about fish? coastal area . do it should be chea[

[@adammakarowicz283]

Hi, thanks for your video. I wonder if you know how easy is to get gluten free products in the market? Or Lactose free?

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Hi Adam. One can find gluten free products at supermarkets and health food shops. Some restaurants also are becoming more expansive with their menus 😀

[@grnm2719]

Hi it is quite the same as the UK. Only item which is cheaper here is the pepper. But probably the salary or the wages of the average worker in Mauritius is much lower than the average worker in the UK. From a Mauritian who lived in the UK.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

I think that's the thing here is the minimum wage is only Rs15k. This is what makes this place shockingly expensive.

[@RichardDebs-z3s]

Did you import your dog into Mauritius? I’d love to see some footage on that process, and what it’s like to take care of the dog there (pet stores, vets, etc.)

[@LucyLeheilleix]

I did indeed bring in my dog….and now I have two more rescue dogs too. Lots of pet shops here now too. But I warn you, as an animal lover, this place can be tough. Stray dogs are everywhere. There are lots of people trying to help though.

[@s_class7027]

Excellent video

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Thank you very much for watching!

[@sebastiankwiatkowski6762]

I feel you, during this year prices went waaay up. It is still rising and rising.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Some things are so expensive.....

[@madhavdoula7369]

Damn that's very discouraging tho , thinking to live in such an island where one of our basic and essential needs for living is not quite affordable 😔, thanks anyway Lucy for sharing 😊

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Where do you live? Many people commenting here are saying it's cheaper than where they are from.

[@KemalKaratatar]

Lucy lets start export import business to Mauritius ☝😎 are you in ?

[@Salmankhan78965]

Yes bro

[@pratheeshm400]

After a looonggg time

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Yes 🙌 Thanks for watching 😀

[@paulisser8086]

Same things in Canada would cost you almost double in price

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Thanks! Good to know.

[@karinaderobillard8599]

food prices in Mauritius are cheaper than in South Africa.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Thanks for the comment. I’ll do another video with wine, coffee, red meat, chocolate and cheeses. That’s where it gets very costly.

[@dennisuluz4755]

Never ever! South Africa is much much cheaper.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

I agree. RSA is much cheaper. Also for property.

[@pratheeshm400]

raise chicken and sell

[@natali7718]

I find prices for food in 5 star hotels in Mauritius absolutely unreasonable. I compare to 5 star hotels in UAE, its the same, but UAE has better hotels, better food, safety and many more conveniences, better service compared to Mauritius 5 star hotels. I feel that someone is making lots of money on hotels in Mauritius. And adding, that in those high prices service charge for staff is NOT included. Come on...disgraceful. I personally am not considering revisiting this island, as the value for money is not really there, unless you find a 5 star hotel at heavily slashed price. The breakfast for 2500 MUR per person at 5 star hotel was a huge disappointment, and believe me, UAE has so much better for this price, being a desert country, importing almost all foods. The corals are bleached, and hotel does no any sustainable/SCR activity about it, but only priding itself with beachfront location, using sea to set prices higher.

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Thanks for your take on hotels here. I agree, UAE has better value in the hotel department. I guess it depends what you want out of a holiday or your place of residence. I love living here 😃

[@natali7718]

@LucyLeheilleix what we want is value for money.

[@aleksey9213]

everyone print money

[@LucyLeheilleix]

Truth