Costs are broadly similar — roughly £2,100/month for a couple in Mauritius and £2,100 in Mexico.
Cost of living, side by side
| Mauritius | Mexico | |
|---|---|---|
| Modest (couple/mo) | £1,400 | £1,400 |
| Comfortable (couple/mo) | £2,100 | £2,100 |
| Premium (couple/mo) | £3,300 | £3,600 |
Indicative monthly estimates for a couple — real costs vary by location, lifestyle and exchange rates.
Mauritius: 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.
Mexico: Foreigners can own property, via a bank trust (fideicomiso) in the restricted coastal and border zones.
Mauritius: Those aged 50+ can apply for a Retired Non-Citizen residence permit by undertaking to transfer around USD 2,000 a month into a local account; buying a qualifying scheme property can also grant residence for as long as it is held.
Mexico: Temporary and permanent resident visas suit retirees who meet income or savings thresholds.
Mauritius: Free public hospitals exist but expats use private clinics, chiefly the C-Care group (with branches at Grand Baie, Tamarin and Wellkin in Moka) plus others, offering good care in English and French, with anything highly specialised sometimes handled abroad. Private insurance is widely used and relatively affordable.
Mexico: Private hospitals in the big cities and expat hubs are good and far cheaper than in the US or UK, with English-speaking doctors common in expat areas. Legal residents can enrol voluntarily in the public IMSS scheme for roughly US$500-700 a year, though it excludes some pre-existing conditions, so many pair it with private insurance.
Mauritius: Mauritius has a flat 15% income tax and no capital-gains or inheritance tax, and a resident is taxed on foreign income only if it is remitted to Mauritius; the over-50s retirement permit needs about USD 24,000 a year of income. Take advice on remittance timing.
Mexico: Temporary residents are generally not taxed on foreign pensions for their first years, and even permanent residents who become tax-resident benefit from double-tax treaties and foreign-tax credits that usually keep the bill low. Whether you are tax-resident turns on your centre of vital interests, so take advice.
Mauritius: Warm and tropical all year, with hot humid summers from December to March and pleasantly mild drier winters from June to September; cyclone season runs January to March. Winter is the most comfortable time. Very easy for British retirees, as English is an official language and driving is on the left as in the UK; the island is safe, stable and welcoming with a large established expat community.
Mexico: Hugely varied by altitude: the central highlands around Lake Chapala and San Miguel enjoy a spring-like climate year-round, while the coasts are hot and humid with a May-October rainy season. The dry winter months are the most comfortable. Safety varies sharply by region, so the settled expat towns are calm while some areas are best avoided; they drive on the right, and English is widely spoken in expat hubs though Spanish helps everywhere else.
Mauritius: 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.
Mexico: On the coast or near a border, foreign buyers hold property through a bank trust (fideicomiso), which adds a setup fee and annual charge. Expect total closing costs of about 5-8% inland and 7-12% where a trust is needed, including acquisition tax (ISAI) of 2-4% plus notary and registration; completion often takes one to two months.
Mauritius: Grand Baie and the north for a lively expat hub, Tamarin and Black River on the west coast for a laid-back beach lifestyle, and Flic en Flac for lagoons and amenities.
Mexico: Lake Chapala and Ajijic for a large, established lakeside expat community; San Miguel de Allende for colonial charm; Merida for a safe, cultured city in the Yucatan; and Puerto Vallarta for beach living.
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