Moving to Portugal from Mauritius

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Mauritius to Portugal — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Mauritius to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 54.1% more expensive than Mauritius overall. A MUR3,500,000 salary in Mauritius would need to be roughly €102,000 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lisbon averages 69°F vs 85°F in Port Louis, making it significantly cooler.

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Is Portugal cheaper than Mauritius?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 98.0% more

Groceries

pay 21.1% more

Transportation

pay 9.6% more

Housing

pay 2.1 times more

Childcare

pay 2.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 11.5% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MUR = 0.0189 EUR (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Portugal?

What does your salary buy?

MUR3,500,000 → €102,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal

Calculate with your salary →

Get free moving quotes to Portugal

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Mauritius to Portugal.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

MU
2.3
PT
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MU
9.7
PT
7.2

Portugal performs significantly better than Mauritius across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

MU
$1,566
PT
$4,928
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MU
14.4
PT
58.5

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mauritius leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MU
28.0
PT
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MU
3.5t
PT
3.3t

Portugal performs significantly better than Mauritius across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MU
28.0
PT
45.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MU
23.0%
PT
12.3%

Portugal performs significantly better than Mauritius across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MU
5.6%
PT
6.2%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

MU
$12,991
PT
$32,082

Mauritius generally does better on employment & economy, though Portugal leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

MU
73.8 yrs
PT
82.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MU
13.8
PT
2.7

Portugal performs significantly better than Mauritius across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Mauritius Revenue Authority (2016), Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

Weather in Portugal vs Mauritius

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Port Louis Rain: 28.0 in/yr (711 mm)
85° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Lisbon Rain: 29.6 in/yr (751 mm)
69° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Port Louis Lisbon
Jan–Mar 89°/75°F (31°/24°C) 61°/48°F (16°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/71°F (29°/21°C) 71°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/67°F (27°/19°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/71°F (30°/22°C) 65°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Port Louis Lisbon
Jan 89°/75°F (31.5°/24.1°C) 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C)
Feb 89°/75°F (31.4°/24.0°C) 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C)
Mar 89°/75°F (31.5°/23.8°C) 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C)
Apr 87°/73°F (30.7°/23.0°C) 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C)
May 85°/71°F (29.3°/21.5°C) 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C)
Jun 82°/68°F (27.6°/19.9°C) 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C)
Jul 80°/67°F (26.7°/19.3°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)
Aug 80°/66°F (26.8°/19.1°C) 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 82°/67°F (27.7°/19.4°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 84°/69°F (28.8°/20.4°C) 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C)
Nov 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.8°C) 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C)
Dec 88°/74°F (31.1°/23.2°C) 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C)

Data: Mauritius Meteorological Services Mauritius Meteorological Services, Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera

Can you move from Mauritius to Portugal?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mauritius and Portugal. To live, work, or study long-term in Portugal, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Portugal's immigration authority.

Mauritius passport

Mauritius passport holder visiting Portugal

Visa Free
Mauritius passport holders can enter Portugal without a visa.
Portugal passport

Portugal passport holder visiting Mauritius

Visa Free
Portugal passport holders can enter Mauritius without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Portugal than Mauritius?

No — Portugal is on average about 54% more expensive than Mauritius. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Portugal?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €25,500 in Portugal on a MUR3,500,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Portugal?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Portugal has 45.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Portugal safe for expats?

Portugal performs significantly better than Mauritius across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Mauritius.

How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Mauritius?

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mauritius leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 58.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 14.4 in Mauritius. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mauritius: 66).

What's the weather like in Portugal compared to Mauritius?

The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 85°F in Port Louis. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Port Louis gets 28.0 in.

What language do they speak in Portugal?

The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Mauritius, the official languages are English, French and Mauritian Creole.

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At a Glance

MU PT
Population 1,243,741 10,804,871
Currency Mauritian Rupee (MUR) Euro (€)
Languages English, French, Mauritian Creole Portuguese
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +230 +351
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 112