A comfortable retirement works out cheaper in Morocco — around £1,900/month for a couple, versus £2,100 in Mauritius (about 10% more).
Cost of living, side by side
| Mauritius | Morocco | |
|---|---|---|
| Modest (couple/mo) | £1,400 | £1,200 |
| Comfortable (couple/mo) | £2,100 | £1,900 |
| Premium (couple/mo) | £3,300 | £3,000 |
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.
Morocco: Foreigners can buy urban residential and commercial property freehold, registered in their own name through the land registry (Conservation Fonciere) via a notary. Agricultural land is generally off-limits unless officially reclassified, and properties in military or security zones are restricted. There are no caps on foreign ownership of residential units.
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.
Morocco: Morocco has no dedicated retirement visa; most retirees enter on a long-stay (type D) visa then apply for a residence card (carte de sejour) within 90 days, showing stable pension income and health cover.
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.
Morocco: Expats rely on private clinics in Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech and Agadir, where doctors speak French and increasingly some English and care is good value; Rabat's Cheikh Zaid and Marrakech's Clinique du Sud are well regarded. Private insurance runs roughly MAD 500-1,500 (about GBP 40-120) a month depending on age.
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.
Morocco: Foreign pensions transferred to Morocco in dirhams have long enjoyed a large reduction of around an 80% abatement, and recent reforms move further toward exempting basic pension income for residents. It is a genuinely favourable regime, but confirm your own position with a local adviser.
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.
Morocco: Warm and sunny with regional variety: hot inland summers in Marrakech above 35C, milder Atlantic coasts, and mild winters, with Agadir enjoying 300+ sunny days a year. Spring and autumn are ideal. Generally safe and hospitable with a large established expat community; French is the key second language and English less so outside tourism, driving is on the right, and life is affordable and comfortable for British retirees.
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.
Morocco: Budget roughly 8-10% of the price in one-off costs, comprising about 4% registration tax, 1.5% land-registry, notary fees of 0.5-1% and agency commission around 2.5%; a purchase usually completes in a couple of 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.
Morocco: Marrakech for culture and a big expat scene, Agadir for the best year-round sunshine and modern comforts, Essaouira for a breezy artistic coastal town, and Rabat for a calm, green capital.
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