A comfortable retirement works out cheaper in Philippines — around £1,650/month for a couple, versus £2,100 in Mauritius (about 21% more).
Cost of living, side by side
| Mauritius | Philippines | |
|---|---|---|
| Modest (couple/mo) | £1,400 | £1,000 |
| Comfortable (couple/mo) | £2,100 | £1,650 |
| Premium (couple/mo) | £3,300 | £2,700 |
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.
Philippines: Foreigners can own a condominium unit outright (freehold) as long as foreign ownership across the building stays within the 40% cap, but cannot own land directly. Land is instead held through a long-term lease (recently extended up to 99 years for qualifying projects) or via a genuine majority-Filipino company.
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.
Philippines: The Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV) is the main route; since a 2025 overhaul it opens from age 40 with a bank deposit (from roughly US$15,000 for pensioner applicants aged 50+, more for younger or non-pension applicants) plus proof of income.
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.
Philippines: Private hospitals in Manila and Cebu are modern and far cheaper than in the West, and most expats use them; the state PhilHealth scheme is basic, so private cover is common — international plans from about US$1,000 a year, or cheaper local HMOs. Retirees enrolled through the retirement authority pay a modest annual PhilHealth fee of around US$250.
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.
Philippines: The Philippines taxes residents only on Philippine-source income, so a foreign pension is generally not taxed at all; retirement income remitted from abroad, and SRRV-holders' pensions, are explicitly exempt. It is one of the more tax-friendly bases for a pensioner, though your home country may still tax the pension.
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.
Philippines: Tropical and hot year-round with high humidity; the dry season (roughly November-April, coolest December-February) is most comfortable, while June-November is wetter with typhoon risk. Famously warm and welcoming, with normal precautions against petty crime and some far-southern areas best avoided; English is an official language and very widely spoken, and driving is on the right.
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.
Philippines: For the buyer, one-off costs are roughly 4-5% — documentary stamp tax of 1.5%, transfer tax of 0.5-0.75%, plus registration and notary fees — while the 6% capital gains tax is customarily the seller's. Foreigners can own condominium units (not land), and title transfer through the Registry of Deeds takes some weeks.
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.
Philippines: Cebu for city amenities with beaches close by, Metro Manila for the widest choice of hospitals and services, laid-back Dumaguete for an affordable university-town pace, and Tagaytay for cooler upland air near the capital.
Thinking seriously about Mauritius or Philippines?
Two honest Brits, a private call, and straight answers — see if a freehold home abroad is a fit for you.
See if you qualify →