Moving to Mauritius: tax, residence and real costs (2026)
Mauritius: foreign income: 0% unless brought to Mauritius · up to 20% on local income · no gains tax. The cheapest route to residence is premium Visa (free, USD 1.5k/month remote income); tax resident after 183 days: about USD 100 in fees doing it yourself, with no investment, with about USD 1,500 a month of income shown, in about 1 months. Living costs about USD 800 a month for one person in Port Louis, USD 660 in Centre de Flacq, and around USD 570 on a bare-minimum budget.
Key facts
| Tax in one line | foreign income: 0% unless brought to Mauritius · up to 20% on local income · no gains tax |
| Foreign income | taxed when remitted |
| Gains · dividends | 0 · local exempt |
| Wealth · inheritance tax | none · none |
| Cheapest residence | Premium Visa (free, USD 1.5k/month remote income); tax resident after 183 days |
| Money needed | About USD 100 in fees doing it yourself, with no investment |
| Time | about 1 months |
| Doable yourself? | Yes, with a checklist |
| Days you must spend there | 183 |
| Citizenship | rare |
| Online business | 0% effective, about USD 400 a year to run: foreign income taxed only when brought into Mauritius (15%): keep it in a foreign LLC and bring in what you spend |
| Living (one person a month) | Port Louis ~USD 800; bare minimum ~USD 570; family of four ~USD 1,900 |
| Good for | no capital gains, inheritance or wealth tax; Premium Visa (1 year, renewable, income from abroad USD 1.5k/month); GBC companies and Africa treaties |
| Common set-up | Premium Visa or occupation permit + foreign income left abroad; Africa investments through a Mauritius GBC |
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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Programmes
| Programme | All-in, one person | Months | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Visa | USD 500 | 1 | 1 year, renewable, free; income from abroad USD 1.5k/month. Permanent residence with USD 375k property. |
Questions
- How much does residence in Mauritius cost?
- Premium Visa (free, USD 1.5k/month remote income); tax resident after 183 days: about USD 100 in fees doing it yourself, with no investment, about 1 months.
- Does Mauritius tax foreign income?
- Taxed when remitted. In one line: foreign income: 0% unless brought to Mauritius · up to 20% on local income · no gains tax.
- What does it cost to live in Mauritius?
- Living costs about USD 800 a month for one person in Port Louis, USD 660 in Centre de Flacq, and around USD 570 on a bare-minimum budget (based on livingcost.org, 2026).
- Can I run an online business from Mauritius?
- Effective tax about 0% with the cheapest legal set-up, which costs about USD 400 a year: foreign income taxed only when brought into Mauritius (15%): keep it in a foreign LLC and bring in what you spend.
- What is the catch in Mauritius?
- Far
- What residence or citizenship programmes does Mauritius have?
- Premium Visa: about USD 500 all-in for one person, ~1 months
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Sources
- https://www.mra.mu
- Living costs: based on livingcost.org (livingcost.org, June 2026), rounded