Mauritius
Mauritius has transitioned from a holiday escape to a serious option for British and international buyers looking to relocate or invest, but the market is highly regulated. You cannot simply turn up, find a villa on a local portal, and buy it. As a foreign buyer, you are steered into specific government-approved corridors where prices are higher but the legal path is clear, making it essential to understand what you can actually own before you start browsing.
This guide breaks down the reality of buying property in Mauritius, from the schemes that grant residency to the locations where expat communities actually live. The Expat Investor is an introducer, not an estate agency or a developer, meaning we do not sell property ourselves and can give you an honest, unvarnished look at how the buying process works, what it costs, and where the pitfalls lie.
The Mauritian real estate market is split into two distinct tiers: the local market, which is largely off-limits to international buyers, and the resort-style developments designed specifically for foreigners. Historically dominated by French and South African buyers, the market is seeing steady interest from British investors attracted by the island's stable legal system, which is based on a mix of English common law and the French Napoleonic Code.
Most of what is marketed to expats consists of modern apartments and luxury villas built within secure, managed estates. The older stock from the earliest investment schemes is starting to show its age, meaning buyers are often faced with a choice between buying off-plan for a modern finish or purchasing a resale property that might require modernising to bring it up to contemporary standards.
In recent years, the government has expanded the options by allowing foreigners to buy apartments in buildings that are at least three storeys high, known as ground-plus-two developments, even outside the traditional resort schemes. This has opened up more urban and semi-coastal areas to buyers, though prime beachfront land remains scarce, highly protected, and expensive.
| Under £150,000 | Realistically, very little is available for foreign buyers at this level, though you might occasionally find a small, older apartment in a non-coastal town under the ground-plus-two rule, requiring a local residency permit or special permission. |
|---|---|
| £150,000 to £350,000 | This budget opens up modern two-bedroom apartments in ground-plus-two developments, typically a short drive from the beach in areas like Flic en Flac, though this price point is usually below the threshold required to obtain permanent residency. |
| £350,000 to £750,000 | You can secure a high-specification apartment or a small townhouse within an approved property scheme, which easily clears the minimum purchase threshold to grant you and your family permanent residency status. |
| Over £750,000 | This budget buys spacious detached villas with private pools within established resort estates on the west or north coast, complete with managed facilities, though ongoing communal maintenance fees can be substantial. |
No price list, no development names on this page — by design. Those are worth going through one to one, when we know what you are working with.
Non-citizens buy mainly through government-approved schemes such as the Property Development Scheme (PDS), IRS and RES, or in ground-plus-two apartment developments, where they can own freehold. A qualifying purchase above set price thresholds can also confer residence. Buying ordinary land outside these schemes generally requires special approval.
You cannot buy ordinary, stand-alone land or traditional houses in Mauritius unless you obtain specific, rare government approval, which is seldom granted to individual foreign buyers. Instead, foreign ownership is strictly channelled into government-regulated frameworks such as the Property Development Scheme (PDS), Integrated Resort Scheme (IRS), and Real Estate Scheme (RES), or freehold apartments in buildings of at least ground-plus-two storeys.
Purchasing a property within these approved schemes above the threshold of USD 375,000 grants you and your dependents permanent residency, which remains valid as long as you own the property. Ownership in these schemes is secure and freehold, meaning you own the physical structure and the land it sits on, but you must accept the strict communal rules and estate management fees that come with these managed developments.
Foreign buyers purchase through approved schemes such as the PDS from a USD 375,000 minimum, and expect registration duty of around 5%, though from mid-2026 this is rising toward 10% for scheme purchases, so check the current rate; completion takes weeks to a few months.
Buying into an approved scheme requires a minimum investment of USD 375,000 to qualify for residency, and you must budget for a registration duty of around 5% of the purchase price. However, buyers need to plan carefully as this registration duty is scheduled to rise toward 10% for scheme purchases from mid-2026, making early transactions significantly cheaper.
Beyond the purchase price and government tax, do not forget the notary fees, which are usually around 1% plus VAT, and the cost of bank transfers and currency conversion. Once the sale is agreed, the completion process is relatively efficient, typically taking anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months depending on whether the property is already built or purchased off-plan.
High ongoing estate fees. Resort developments come with extensive communal infrastructure, and the monthly maintenance levies can be surprisingly high, rising annually regardless of how much time you spend there.
Off-plan delivery delays. Many buyers choose off-plan properties for modern designs, but construction delays are common in Mauritius due to supply chain issues on an island nation.
Resale market liquidity. Selling a property within an approved scheme can take a long time because the pool of buyers is limited by the high price thresholds required for foreign residency.
Tax on unremitted income. While Mauritius has a flat 15% income tax and no capital gains tax, you must manage the timing of bringing foreign funds into the country, as you are taxed on foreign income once it is remitted.
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See if you qualify →Yes, but you cannot buy a standard house on ordinary land. Foreigners must purchase through specific government-approved schemes like the Property Development Scheme (PDS) or buy an apartment in a building that is at least three storeys high to obtain freehold ownership.
You must invest a minimum of USD 375,000 in an approved property scheme to qualify for permanent residency. This residency status remains valid for you and your dependents for as long as you retain ownership of the property.
Imported goods, electricity, and private school fees are relatively expensive, but local produce, dining out, and domestic help are highly affordable. Overall, a retired couple can live very comfortably on around USD 2,000 per month, though housing costs will be your largest outlay.
Mauritius has a flat 15% income tax and no capital gains or inheritance tax. If you hold a retired residency permit, which requires an annual income of about USD 24,000, you will only be taxed on foreign income that you actually remit to a Mauritian bank account, though you should take professional advice on the timing of these remittances.
The entire transaction typically takes between a few weeks and a few months. This timeline includes securing approval from the Economic Development Board, conducting notary checks, and transferring the funds to complete the deed of sale.