Where to stay on a budget in Mauritius: affordable accommodation

Travelling to Mauritius on a budget: it’s possible

Mauritius has long been seen as a destination reserved for well-off travellers. That reputation for luxury was built on images of 5-star resorts and seemingly unreachable turquoise lagoons. But the reality is more nuanced: every year, Mauritius welcomes thousands of travellers on modest budgets who have a memorable holiday without spending a fortune.

The key? Choose the right area, the right type of accommodation, and the right time to travel. This guide gives you everything you need to sleep well in Mauritius without breaking the bank. Our complete Mauritius budget guide rounds out this information with estimates for the whole trip (food, transport, activities).

At a glance

Where	Mahébourg, Pereybere, La Gaulette, the Central Plateau — the cheapest areas
Indicative budget	around €35-80/night for a decent guest house or studio
Time needed	no particular constraint, works even for a few nights
Getting there	very cheap local buses in the north and towards Port-Louis, a rental car recommended from the Central Plateau or Mahébourg
Best time to go	April-June and September-October to combine low season with good weather — see our best time to visit guide

Understanding price ranges in Mauritius

Before you start looking for accommodation, it’s worth understanding why prices vary so much.

Premium tourist areas (the east of the island, the Belle Mare and Trou d’Eau Douce sector) are the most expensive. Budget options there are almost non-existent. Avoid these areas if budget is your top priority.

Mid-range areas (the north, the west) offer a much wider price spectrum, from the most affordable to the most luxurious. This is where you’ll find the best deals for well-located, decent accommodation.

Local, less touristy areas (Mahébourg, Quatre Bornes, Curepipe, Rose Belle) offer the lowest prices, but at the cost of being further from the beach. A trade-off worth weighing against your priorities.

Seasonality plays a huge role. In high season (July-August, December-January), prices can double or even triple. In low season (April-June, September-October), the same accommodation is often 30-50% cheaper. Check our guide to the best time to visit Mauritius to plan your trip at the right time.

The cheapest accommodation in Mauritius

Family-run guest houses (EUR 40-70/night)

This is the cheapest type of accommodation in Mauritius, aside from hostels. A double room in a good family guest house, with breakfast included and a private bathroom, costs between EUR 40 and 70 a night in the north or in Mahébourg.

These places sometimes lack the latest air conditioning or a pool, but they make up for it with warmth, valuable tips from the owners, and a genuine cultural experience. The immersion in local life is hard to match. Plenty can be found in Grand Baie, Pereybere, Grand Gaube and Mahébourg.

Studios and small apartments (EUR 50-100/night)

A well-located studio in Grand Baie or Flic-en-Flac can be rented for between EUR 50 and 100 a night on Airbnb or Booking.com. With a fitted kitchen, you save on meals by preparing some yourself — local produce (vegetables, fish, tropical fruit) is cheap.

For two people, a studio with a kitchen is often more economical than a hotel room with meals on top. Over 10 days, the savings can add up. Our guide to apartments in Mauritius lists the best options by area.

Tourist residences with a pool (EUR 80-150/night)

Slightly pricier than guest houses or studios, tourist residences offer better comfort for the money on stays of a week or more. You get an independent apartment with a kitchen and a shared pool — without paying hotel prices for all the extra services.

Look for residences set back a little from the seafront (often 10-20% cheaper) and just a few minutes’ walk from the beach.

Small local hotels and guesthouses (EUR 60-120/night)

Outside the international chains, Mauritius has plenty of small, family-run 2-3 star hotels offering clean, comfortable rooms at reasonable prices. These places are often tucked into side streets off the seafront — less visible, but very well located.

Some offer half board at a very competitive rate — a good way to keep your food budget in check while enjoying a pleasant setting.

The cheapest areas by sector

Mahébourg and the south-east (the cheapest area)

Mahébourg is the ideal destination for budget travellers who still want to enjoy beautiful beaches. The town itself isn’t very touristy and prices are noticeably lower than in the beach resorts. A decent guest house room runs around EUR 35-60 a night.

And the beaches at Blue Bay and La Pointe d’Esny, just a few kilometres away, are among the island’s finest. The Blue Bay marine reserve offers free, outstanding snorkelling — a natural luxury available to everyone.

The downside: you’ll need a rental car or a scooter to reach the beaches easily. A scooter can be rented from EUR 15-20/day.

Quatre Bornes and the Central Plateau (the most economical)

If your goal is really to minimise accommodation spending, the Central Plateau (Quatre Bornes, Vacoas, Curepipe) offers much cheaper lodging than the coast. But you’ll be 30-45 minutes from the sea, meaning a rental car is essentially required or you’ll rely on local buses.

This option suits travellers exploring the island in depth who don’t spend their days on the beach. The Central Plateau’s shopping centres, local restaurants and markets offer a very local experience at very accessible prices.

Grand Baie and Pereybere: finding a deal in the tourist zone

Even in the north’s flagship tourist area, good deals exist for those who look:

• Accommodation on inland streets (2-5 minutes’ walk from the beach, 20-30% cheaper than the seafront)
• Places that rent directly without going through platforms (no commission fees)
• Last-minute deals during quiet periods

Pereybere, 2km from Grand Baie, offers slightly lower prices with a beach that’s often nicer and quieter. It’s the number one spot for budget travellers in the north of the island.

Central Flic-en-Flac: good residential addresses

The centre of Flic-en-Flac has affordable apartments and studios on the streets running back from the beach. Just 5-10 minutes’ walk from the long beach, these places offer excellent value for money. The area is more residential than touristy, which keeps prices reasonable.

10 practical tips for cutting your accommodation budget

1. Travel in low season. April-June and September-October offer an excellent balance of weather and price. Accommodation costs 30-50% less than in July-August. The weather is generally splendid during these periods.

2. Book directly with the owner. On Airbnb, you can sometimes contact the owner and negotiate a direct price off-platform to avoid commission fees (15-20%). Just check you still have the same protections in case something goes wrong.

3. Choose an apartment with a kitchen. Making your own breakfast and some meals costs 3 to 5 times less than eating out. Local markets sell tropical fruit for next to nothing — mangoes, papayas, freshly picked pineapples.

4. Ask for a long-stay rate. For stays of 10 nights or more, many places offer a 10-20% discount. Don’t hesitate to ask — the worst that can happen is a no.

5. Share a villa. For 4 people or more, a villa with a pool often works out cheaper per head than a hotel. The cost per person can drop to EUR 50-80/night for a good-quality villa.

6. Compare all the platforms. The same apartment can be priced differently on Airbnb, Booking.com and the owner’s own website. Take 10 minutes to compare before booking.

7. Avoid Christmas and New Year. Prices spike over this period. The week from 22 December to 3 January is the most expensive of the year, sometimes two to three times the normal rate.

8. Go for a room without a sea view. In hotels, rooms with a garden or pool view can cost 20-40% less than sea-view rooms. And you’ll be spending the day at the beach anyway, not in your room.

9. Consider shared taxis or the bus instead of renting a car. If you’re staying in central Grand Baie, you don’t need a car for everyday activities. The bus to Port-Louis costs under EUR 1 a trip. Shared taxis are also economical for occasional trips. An eSIM is also a good way to avoid roaming charges while staying connected: eSIM for Mauritius — data connection without a local SIM card.

10. Factor in wifi. Avoiding a local data plan (between EUR 20 and 40 for a SIM card with data) by having good wifi at your accommodation adds up to a meaningful saving over your stay.

What you shouldn’t skimp on for the sake of budget

Even on a tight budget, some things are genuinely worth paying for:

A good location. Saving EUR 20/night on accommodation only to end up 30 minutes from the beach can generate transport costs and hassle that cancel out the savings. Look for accommodation within 15 minutes’ walk of the beach — or close to a good public beach.

Safety. Avoid accommodation with no recent reviews or with comments flagging safety issues. Mauritius is generally very safe, but still check that the neighbourhood is quiet and the property is properly secured.

Air conditioning in the hot season. From November to March, sleeping without air conditioning in a poorly ventilated room is genuinely unpleasant. Check that the room has air conditioning if you’re travelling during this period — it’s non-negotiable.

Breakfast included. In guest houses that offer it, breakfast represents real savings and a moment of conviviality. A Mauritian breakfast with tropical fruit, tea and fresh bread is well worth its EUR 8-12 price tag if you had to pay for it separately.

A realistic accommodation budget by profile

Solo traveller on a budget (EUR 40-70/night)

Guest house in Pereybere or Mahébourg, single room with breakfast included. Access to some of the island’s finest beaches at zero cost (Blue Bay, Pereybere). Bus transport from Mahébourg or on foot from Pereybere. The most economical profile, and often the most rewarding on a human level.

Budget-conscious couple (EUR 70-120/night)

Airbnb studio in Grand Baie or Flic-en-Flac, with a kitchen for making breakfast and some meals. Shared pool if available. Walking access to public beaches. A few organised outings (catamaran, Ile aux Cerfs) to make sure you don’t miss the highlights.

For activities, the shared catamaran trip (EUR 80-120/person) stays affordable and is one of the island’s finest experiences. The visit to Ile aux Cerfs is a must and can be done on a controlled budget.

Family on a controlled budget (EUR 120-200/night)

Tourist residence with a pool in Flic-en-Flac or Grand Baie, 2-bedroom apartment. Fitted kitchen for simple meals. Walking access to the long Flic-en-Flac beach. A shared rental car for the trip. A few carefully chosen excursions to maximise the kids’ enjoyment.

For families, a rental villa with a private pool shared between 4-6 people can work out cheaper than a tourist residence while offering much more space and freedom.

Budget travel without a car: is it doable?

Yes, provided you choose your base carefully. A trip without a car works well from Grand Baie or Pereybere, from where the bus network easily reaches Port-Louis and the north. From Mahébourg, the bus also gets you to the airport and the south-east without too much hassle. On the other hand, basing yourself on the Central Plateau without a car makes getting to the beach every day much harder — better to stick to a coastal area in that case. Our guide to getting around without a car details the best bases for a trip built around public transport.

Budget travel with family or as a couple: same rules, different priorities

For a family, the budget priority often goes to an apartment with a kitchen rather than a guest house — cooking for 4 people makes a real difference over a week. Our where to stay with family guide applies this same value-for-money logic with kids in mind. For a couple, guest houses and small boutique hotels often offer more charm for a similar budget; see our where to stay as a couple guide for addresses that stay romantic without breaking the bank.

Where to find the best deals

Booking.com: filter by “Guest houses” and “Apartments” to see the budget options. Turn on price alerts for your dates.

Airbnb: the “Private rooms” category offers the cheapest options. Filter by maximum price and read the reviews carefully.

Direct with the owner: once you’ve found a property on a platform, check whether the owner has their own website or a Facebook page. A direct booking can save you the platform fees.

Travel forums: forums like Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree or Facebook groups such as “Ile Maurice voyage” are full of recent local recommendations, often for addresses not listed on the big platforms.

Saving on activities and transport

Cutting your accommodation budget is only part of the equation. Here’s how to optimise your other spending to keep your total budget under control.

Getting around cheaply

The bus is the island’s cheapest way to get around — under EUR 1 a trip on most routes, EUR 2-3 for longer distances. The network covers the north well (Grand Baie - Port-Louis), the Central Plateau and the main coastal towns. That said, buses aren’t enough to reach isolated beaches or natural sites.

If you need a rental car for a few days, compare local agencies (often cheaper than the big chains). A small car can be rented from EUR 25-30/day in low season.

The taxi is more comfortable than the bus for one-off trips. Always negotiate the price before getting in. For the airport, a shared transfer booked in advance costs less than an individual taxi.

Free or nearly free activities

Several of the island’s finest experiences are free or very cheap:

• Public beaches: all of Mauritius’s beaches are public and free to access. Blue Bay, Pereybere, Belle Mare, Flic-en-Flac — the most beautiful ones charge no entry fee.
• Snorkelling at Blue Bay Marine Park: the Blue Bay marine reserve is accessible by swimming out from the beach. Bring your own mask, fins and snorkel (or buy a set on arrival for EUR 15-20) and dive for free into a lagoon of exceptional beauty.
• The markets: Mahébourg market (Wednesday), Grand Baie market (Thursday) and Flacq market (Sunday) are free cultural experiences and a chance to buy tropical fruit very cheaply.
• The Pamplemousses botanical gardens: one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, with giant water lilies, giant tortoises and hundreds of plant species. Entry is very modest.
• Port-Louis on foot: the Mauritian capital is best explored on foot — the central market, Saint-Louis cathedral, the Chinese quarter, the Caudan Waterfront. A stimulating half-day for under EUR 1 in return bus fare from Grand Baie.

Paid activities worth splurging on even on a budget

Some activities are genuinely worth the cost even on a tight budget:

The shared catamaran trip: EUR 80-130 per person for a full day with snorkelling, a barbecue lunch and music. It’s the island’s most iconic excursion — you can’t leave without having done it. Even on a tight budget, don’t skip it: see catamaran cruises to the northern islands.

The visit to Ile aux Cerfs: EUR 15-20 for the water taxi from Trou d’Eau Douce plus free access to the island. A day in an extraordinary turquoise lagoon on a modest budget.

A guided snorkelling trip: EUR 30-50 per person. A guide knows the reef’s best spots and makes the experience far richer than going it alone.

A realistic total budget for a week in Mauritius

To help you plan, here are total budgets for a week (excluding flights), for different profiles.

Solo on a budget: EUR 700-900 for 7 nights

• Guest house in Pereybere or Mahébourg (EUR 50/night): EUR 350
• Meals (markets, dholl puri, local food, 1-2 decent restaurants): EUR 150
• Bus, a few taxis: EUR 50
• Shared catamaran: EUR 100
• Miscellaneous (snorkelling, parks, souvenirs): EUR 100
• Airport transfer (shared): EUR 40

Couple on a controlled budget: EUR 1,400-1,800 for 7 nights

• Apartment in Grand Baie or Flic-en-Flac (EUR 90/night): EUR 630
• Meals (groceries + 3-4 restaurants/week): EUR 350
• Car rental, 3 days: EUR 120
• Catamaran + Ile aux Cerfs: EUR 250
• Other activities, airport transfer: EUR 200

Family of 4 on a controlled budget: EUR 2,500-3,200 for 7 nights

• 2-bedroom tourist residence with pool (EUR 160/night): EUR 1,120
• Meals (cooking at the apartment + 3-4 restaurant outings): EUR 600
• Car rental: EUR 250
• Activities (catamaran x 4, snorkelling, parks): EUR 500
• Miscellaneous and transfers: EUR 250

These estimates confirm that a trip to Mauritius is affordable on a reasonable budget, provided you choose the right accommodation and plan smartly. Complement this guide with our complete Mauritius budget guide for an overview of every spending category.