Given the choice, where do you wish to hang your hat for the rest of your life?
Dreaming of sunny Mauritius? Island living has everlasting appeal, no matter your age and stage in life. If you’re looking to move to this paradise island, there are a few important things to consider to help you decide.
International Living magazine prepares an annual Global Retirement Index, in which it ranks countries according to these criteria.
1. Housing. What are residential property prices like and is it easy to buy or rent your dream home? If you buy to let can you make a decent return on your investment? Are there property taxes? Where can expats buy island property? 2Futures, the leading property developer in the north of Mauritius, has a broad range of luxury residential property that qualify for foreign investment.
2. Cost of living. Can you afford to live there? Will any income you make outside of Mauritius be taxed within it? “A country has to be affordable to be a great retirement spot. It’s that simple,” International Living reports. Meanwhile according to Numbeo, the world’s largest crowd-sourced global database of quality of life information, you need around R41,759.97 (Rs108,382.87) in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, to match the living standard you can have in Cape Town, South Africa, with R41,000. That’s if you rent in both cities. Numbeo’s summary of the cost of living in Port Louis, Mauritius is:
Estimated monthly costs for a family of four are R35,192.62 (Rs91,338.10) without rent (using our estimator).
Estimated monthly costs for a single person are R9,707.33 (Rs25,194.18) without rent.
The cost of living in Port Louis is 25.76% higher than in Cape Town.
Rent in Port Louis is, on average, 44.60% lower than in Cape Town.
3. Benefits and discounts. Do retirees get discounts on things such as food and public transport?
4. Visas and residence. How easy is it to get permanent residency? Are there any special conditions that apply to retirees? 2Futures has the ideal home for you in an exceptional environment.
5. Fitting in/entertainment. Will you feel at home there? Do the locals speak English? Can you see a movie in English if you wish to? Will you like the local culture, food, activities and entertainment?
6. Development. What are the road conditions like? And the public transport system? What about infrastructure for internet and electricity?
7. Climate. What are the average temperatures? How humid is it? When is the rainy season?
8. Healthcare. What is the standard of healthcare and what will you pay for medical services? Can you get medications for asthma and diabetes, for example? Do you need a prescription to get a refill? Where is the closest medical centre or hospital?
9. Governance. How stable is the government? Do they respect personal freedom? How well did they handle the coronavirus pandemic? Is the banking system efficient?
10. Opportunity. “Retirement doesn’t need to be a grinding halt. Maybe you have a business project you’d like to try out, or perhaps you’ve thought about supplementing your income with some freelancing work or online employment,” writes International Living.
The 2Futures team is on hand to help you answer all these questions and more. Contact us. We’ll be more than happy to guide you through the process of moving to Mauritius.
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