Quick answer: A trip to Mauritius typically costs US$70-120/day backpacker, US$200-350/day mid-range, US$600-1500+/day luxury. Currency: Mauritian Rupee (MUR) — roughly Rs 45 = US$1.
Mauritius pricing is a sliding scale — European-funded all-inclusive resorts at one end, genuinely affordable guesthouse-and-rental-car DIY trips at the other. Smart self-catering travelers can do Mauritius on US$80-100/day. All-inclusive honeymooners pay 3-5x that. Here is the real range.
Mauritius trip cost: daily budget at a glance
Short answer: budget on roughly $200–380 per person per day mid-range (excluding international flights).
| Travel style | Per day (per person) | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $100–160 | Hostels/guesthouses, street food, public transport |
| Mid-range | $200–380 | 3-star hotels, restaurants, the odd tour or taxi |
| Luxury | $600+ | 4–5★ hotels, fine dining, private guides & transfers |
Cost tiers — budget / mid / luxury
Cost breakdown by category
- Accommodation: US$40 guesthouse → US$200 4-star hotel → US$500+ luxury all-inclusive
- Rental car: US$25-40/day for compact
- Meals: US$5-10 street food (Mauritian dholl puri), US$25-40 restaurant
- Activities: Whale watching US$100, Black River Gorges entry free, Le Morne hike free
- Domestic transfer: Airport-Flic en Flac taxi US$35; bus US$3
Sample 7-day budgets
- DIY 7 days: ~US$700 (guesthouse + rental car + cooking + local restaurants)
- Mid-range 7 days: ~US$2000-2500 (4-star hotel + car + restaurants + excursions)
- Luxury all-inclusive: ~US$5000-9000 per person (premium resort, full board)
How to save money in Mauritius
- Skip all-inclusive — Mauritian restaurants are excellent and reasonable
- Stay in Flic en Flac or Trou aux Biches for affordable beachfront
- Public buses are reliable — half-day around the island US$5
- Eat at street stalls — dholl puri, gateau piment, biryani — for US$2-5
- Visit Black River Gorges (free) and Le Morne hike (free) — Mauritius best activities are no-cost
A local insider tip
If you want Mauritius without the all-inclusive trap, rent a small car (US$30/day), stay in a Flic en Flac apartment (US$60/night), and eat dinner at local restaurants like Domaine Anna or Chez Tante Athalie (US$25 per person). For a week, you spend US$1500 total — vs US$5000+ at an all-inclusive — and you experience the actual island instead of the resort bubble.
The Two-Tier Daily Budget and the Costs That Leak
Strip away the resort brochures and Mauritius splits into two honest daily numbers. A genuine shoestring day, staying in guesthouses or hostels at around USD 20-35 a night, eating dholl puri and a local lunch (150-250 MUR, roughly USD 3-5.50), and riding public buses, lands at about USD 50-80 per person per day in 2026. A comfortable day, with a small 3-star hotel, a sit-down dinner and the odd taxi or activity, runs around USD 120-200 per person per day. For a typical 5-night trip that means roughly USD 250-400 shoestring, or about USD 600-1,000 comfortable, before flights.
The costs travelers forget are small but they stack up:
- Tourist tax: since October 1, 2025, registered accommodation charges around EUR 3 per guest aged 12+ per night, paid at check-in or check-out.
- ATM fees: some machines add up to about Rs 280 (around USD 6) per withdrawal on top of your home bank’s FX fee.
- Tipping: not compulsory, but 5-10% is normal for good restaurant service.
Good news first: most nationalities, including US and UK passport holders, get 60 days visa-free, so there is no visa fee to budget. To plug the leaks, take buses instead of taxis (Port Louis to Grand Baie is about 30-40 MUR versus an airport taxi near USD 35), withdraw one larger lump of cash to dodge repeat ATM charges, and book a self-catering studio to skip USD 40-plus restaurant dinners.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a week in Mauritius cost?
DIY: ~US$700-900 per person. Mid-range hotel package: US$2000-2500. All-inclusive luxury: US$5000-9000.
Is Mauritius cheaper than Maldives?
Yes — typically 30-50% cheaper for similar quality. Mauritius has more land, more activities, more variety; Maldives has clearer water and isolation.
When is the cheapest time to visit Mauritius?
Mid-May through early August (winter, windy east coast) has the cheapest flights and hotels — often 40% below December-January peak.
Can I do Mauritius without an all-inclusive?
Absolutely — locals never stay all-inclusive. Rent a car, stay in guesthouses or 3-star hotels, eat at local restaurants. Total cost ~30% of an all-inclusive.
How much for honeymoon in Mauritius?
Mid-range honeymoon week: ~US$3500-5000 for couple all-in (4-star hotel + flights + activities). Luxury honeymoon: US$8000-15000 per couple at Constance Le Prince Maurice or Beachcomber Royal Palm.
Plan your Mauritius trip
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.