WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK ABOUT 'LOCAL' PRICES & 'OUTSIDER' PRICES?

I agree 100%.  As an expat one gets very tired of paying the expat price knowing full well it differs with others.  I feel sorry for friends of mine living in a home of their own here.  When they need to get work done on the house, the rates range so dramatically from one service provider to another, you have to wonder!   I quickly realised as an expat living here you soon feel like a commodity.  This island appears to make money from sugar cane, tourists and expats!

I have been abroad for almost 18+ years as well but luckily I was born here so although I speak creole well, I tend to have some more fluency in spoken English rather than French language, so when I speak French I tend to mix English - so I prefer to stick to creole language when negotiating. One advice I would say learn to speak creole well , and I am quite impressed with Indian people coming to work here how they manage to speak creole so well. Some Indians I have met and asked how long it took them, I am surprised how fast they have grasped the local dialect in no time. Since you have friends and hopefully can negotiate for you for now, I am sure you will know the knack of negotiating in creole to have a better price anywhere on the island.  Good luck , feel free to pm I am in Mauritius at the moment so will be happy to have some expat friends to share views and help. Other than that Mauritius is a peaceful and lovely place, enjoy the experience it's worth it.

Have a lovely day /rain or shine I love Mauritius.

@vish311 I would also love to be able to speak Creole . Are there any local schools to learn it? I was not yet aware of the different prices if you are not from the island. My English is very good but my French is very, very basic. I have travelled the world a bit and can bargain, does it help in Mauritius too, when you start walking away when you don't like the price they give

If you feel like meeting up with me, a Dutch person, I will be in Mauritius from May 12 thru May 28 (airbnb one week west coast Flic en Flc, and one week semi east coast Grand Gaube), feel free to send me a message.

hello Oshudofsky, yes indeed but I'll be away by then. one thing I can say Mauritians have got a very unique sense of humour. they can stare at you as you say if they put the price super high but once you would turn your back you'll get an amazing discount hahahaha!!!this is one of the ways 🤣, - unfortunately it's no more now these days even Mauritians are complaining of the rise in prices. The prices have gone up so much or so we are almost paying the same. hope recession will end up soon and life will be back to those glorious days. I had recently a problem with the metro overcharging but not received any receipt for my journey. of course I tried to explain in my French/English which was not too bad. they did act quite fast to solve. It might be due thanks to my work in customer service /as I was sorted within the hour 😁👍 sorry but reg language school I am not here so may be any other Mauritian would be able help you out.

@vish311 You would be surprised by the difference in price merchants give you/an outsider & a local - price rises are inevitable here & everywhere. Having said that, I am only paying about 1 Australian dollar for a lettuce as opposed to $8 to $10 I was paying in Australia. Love my salad lol.

omg ))- hahaha 🤣 from my experience always check the change in case you find any euro /dollar / instead of Rs20 - but any other lower well as long as you can spot the strange coin between the changes - hahahaha 🤣 live and welcome to the Mauritian experience and the cents - I can pass on - the good customer service will round it up to the rupee whilst some think that's is ok to pocket this without even apologising. After the metro it would be a good thing merchants start using a card machine don't you guys think 🤔

@vish311 thank you for your reply and a pity you are away by then already.

I indeed heard about the price rises, everywhere in the world. And indeed hope it will get better for everyone. I am therefore planning to buy most groceries at the street stalls and local markets and not in the even more expensive supermarkets.

Is there by any chance a list or more info when and where the local markets are open?

Hi OofSky sorry shortening to ease communication hope it's ok, you'll learn that it will be very easy to grow herbs on a small plot of land and it's an organic experience - chillies, thym, parsley, spring onions, coriander, rosemary, etc etc save yourself some euros/dollars/rupees/ cents dear friend. Sun, Sea, fresh Veg / organic/bio  are  the trend part of the package of what our land has to offer-  LIVE IT THE ORGANIC WAY.

@oshudofsky yr welcome - happy to help. enjoy yr stay here.

@vish311 merchants don't use card machine/eftpos because then they would have to declare everything.

@oshudofsky where abouts do you live. There are different markets/bazars in different areas that are much cheaper than supermarkets.

@vish311 Love it - this is what I plan to do once my house is finished. Soil is rich in Maurice & gardening is awesome therapy.

• yes that's true. at the moment staying in QB n u 0 by the way nice thread - so much there to share - well the days are coming soon. ☂️

catch up later guys 👍

I am Mauritian and sympathize with the experiences of others.

I was born here and have lived abroad for most of my life - some 50 + different countries and continents. I do know how to bargain - I thought.

The traders from taxi to merchants can smell it a mile away. The look, the way one talks, walk, and dress. The mannerisms and slight change in accent is detected and monetized.

So you have a dollar sign tattooed on your forehead and should be able to pay. Besides they know better how to spend your money.

As an anecdote

"Once I stopped a taxi in Mahebourg to go to Blue bay and the driver asked an exorbitant fare - I refused. Another taxi - that was close by and watching, -  came along and drove me for half the amount which I felt was reasonable - because it was 50% less may be.

During the drive the driver told me that you are a stranger and I said I was Mauritian. He said no - the look the attire and the walk are give away(s). You are a foreigner. We know it.

For those trying to learn Creole - do it - but do not expect to get a price break. Be prepared to fork up and get shafted.

@sjeewan I so get you & sympathise with your also. All I can say is do as I do - shop with who is apparently "a real Mauritian". What I do not like is that they assume that if we have lived outside Mauritius that we are loaded (rich). Even when I have thought I got a better price it has sometimes been double the price my relative would have paid. We should start a group on how to negotiate in Creole!

@shirley1421971 Hmmm, good idea. I think I will take along a piece of paper and a pen and write the numbers down. Pretend I am dumb!! But I will have to learn creole anyway. I might be able to pass as a Mauritian on looks alone.

@Tookays You can try this - but even if you look like a 'real Mauritian' they will notice that you walk & move differently - someone else said this & it is true. You do not have to open your mouth for them to know you are not a 'real Mauritian'. If you understand numbers in creole, just watch other people ask for the price & then ask for the price in English. I have tried this to prove my point. I get quoted 2-4 times the price!

@sjeewan Sorry to hear, but  because they do not have taximeter in Mauritius,    asking prices before it is a must,

@tashwilmot Sorry to hear, but in any so called third world countries, it is like this, we have been last year in Tanzania Dar es Salam the same. Seychelles, Maldives and Thailand Fids chi Islands Brazil and so on. They have an income which is maybe 10% of the income from western countries.

Hi all- anyone would like to meet up and we can practice speaking creole, I'll be in flic en flac in the next week. it would be great to meet some people in real life - people who we already had a conversation somehow on this forum. Looks like being a Mauritian is hard work - next thread would be more likely to follow - HOW TO BE A MAURITIAN - hahahaha. guys, FYI the price are set at the beach so expect no bargain 😁

@Guest9724

Ah! they do. I do not know if it is obligatory . Clearly it is probably an option,

They free wheel.

That is what is frustrating .

@vish311 that is a great idea! We need a coach, guaranteed students.

@shirley1421971

Hello Shirley

Just looking at your picture, I am struggling to see you as a different person other than a beautiful creole woman.

i am also a RETURNEE, not an ex-pat, as locals call us here.

have been on the island for some years now and i was born here.

the difficulty i have with RETURNEES is they tend to look down on locals and show off .

if you speak creole, don't try to communicate in ENGLISH as locals get quite irritated when this happens.

when dealing with locals while shopping or at a restaurant, try to act normal, be respectful and courteous and you will not get screwed and, trust me, everything will be hunky-dory.

i can tell you a couple of incidents or stories that involved RETURNEES and the locals.

I was having dinner at a local restaurant in ROSE HILL and there were two RETURNEES (quite loud, i must say) sitting not too far from me. they were talking in broken english with a heavy creole accent. we heard them being very critical of the menu and the prices within the earshot of some waiters.

one of the waiters went inside the kitchen. some minutes later, the chef came out and went straight to the RETURNEES' table and said politely (i am paraphrasing here):

Bonsoir Madame et Monsieur

the beer you ordered is on the  house

you must now leave as this restaurant sounds not good enough for you and good evening.

poor RETURNEES left quietly with their tails between their legs!

you may know the story of a RETURNEE who got bitten by a crab after pointing her finger to the close proximity of the crab and asking "wat is zis?" And, then screamed her head in CREOLE, yes in CREOLE!

This story is apparently true and has been immortalized in the local sega folklore!

hope, you understand why you may be treated differently here.

as a RETURNEE myself, i have not experienced what you said that there is such thing here as an outsider's price or an insider's price.

This is such a good thread. I am from India, but live in the UK, so at times I look Mauritian On my last visit to Mauritius, people started to talk to me in creole as expected. When I said English please, they looked irritated. I then had to say that I have just arrived from India -- and then it was amazing. Many shop keepers and restaurant guys tried to talk to me in Hindi, which I was very happy to use. So yes, if you look Mauritian but do not know creole, be polite and don't try to show off.

@SOLANGEA Hi Solangea. I know what you mean about some returnees looking down on locals. I am however not like that. My parents told me their story of growing up here & I was bought up as a Mauritian. To this day decades later, I do not waste anything or take anything for granted. I think sometimes locals see us that way & I have paid particular attention to this so as to not ever look down on my family that I love. I speak fluent creole but with an Aussie accent haha. I still get ripped off though - my family are constantly telling me not to shop alone. Eg, my uncle paid about 125 r per pound for his pork from the merchant & merchant charged me 185 r for same pork. My uncle told him to stop coming.

Good on the restaurant - if you don't like a restaurant you should shut up & politely leave.

Basically, I don't like being charged more than the local next to me for no rational reason. I had my own business in Aust for 20 years. If I had charged two different people two different prices for my goods or services, I would have got my ass kicked.

Since I have family members doing business in Mauritius, I am aware of business practices there including customer targeting pricing.  This is a long engrained practice and I think that it will be hard to change that.

Rude customers can be found everywhere and those deserve the mis-treatment that they receive. 

However, it is not right to take advantage of people just because of their expat status. 

Are there expat-safe shops, coffee shops, etc. where expats and locals can interact without being taken advantage of?

I know that churches are safe places.  SuperU, Winners, and Intermart will tend to treat everyone equally.  Any pubs, bars, restaurants, etc... that will treat expats the same as the locals?

@shirley1421971

G'day Shirley

Returnees like us must accept the fact that we should not feel "entitled".

Paying 60 rupees more for your pork is not a big deal given the exchange rate of your aussie dollar. JUST GIVE IT TO THEM.

If you don't want to get screwed, go to places where prices are clearly displayed and please don't haggle as I have noticed with so many Returnees, especially at the Central Market in Port Louis.

We are so damn lucky for the opportunities we had and a little help and understanding for the locals will go a long way.

@prospectorland that's true - it's also a consolation to know for people who are visiting first time or regular tourists that there are a set standard in prices in all the major stores in the country - if one wants to be frugal then do check on the promotion range of items. As long as the prices are displayed you can easily work it out if you are buying something at a bargain or not.

Just as  in any part of the world you will encounter some dodgy traders, you only have to spot them in time and better keep away to be safe than sorry. One other tip may be never to give in to the pressure of buying if this does raise the alarm.  Every time I travel to Mauritus I am pleasantly surprised of the major progress the country has made so far to match an international standard. It is a lot much more safer now to travel and shop that it was back in the days. 

@SOLANGEA Sorry, but I disagree with you. Returnees & everyone for that matter are entitled to pay the same price for the same item - if that is in fact a true reflection of the item's value. The exchange rate of the Aussie dollar or any other dollar is irrelevant. It does not matter how much or how little money any of us have. Those who have little money have to be economical. Those who have a lot of money may consider that they worked hard for their money & are not prepared to give it away or waste it. Neither the poor or rich should be judged or treated differently.

Imagine 10 people lining up to buy the same item. Nine of those people get charged 500 rupees & one of them gets charged 750 rupees. If I saw someone get charged more than me I would speak up for them & ask why. How & why do they decide who to overcharge. The merchant has no right to judge the overcharged person as being more able to afford it. That overcharged person could be someone who is struggling more than the other nine.

I do haggle if a merchant gives me a different price to the person before me. I have even spoken up for others when they have been giving a price 4 times higher than the previous person.

We are so damn lucky for the opportunities we had. But some of us (including me) worked bloody hard for our money & bloody hard to get here.

@prospectorland

I too have family doing business in Mauritius & that is why I know how they work & think it is unfair. When I ask my family how they could overcharged expats & then go to church, they have no real answer. I once asked 'what if that person needs the money more than you do?' The answer was 'I would not overcharge them'. My answer was 'But how can you know this? Are you going to ask them if they have enough money to pay you double the usual price?'

As for restaurants, I tend to stick to those that have prices on the menu. You can find some online with set prices: https://restaurants.mu/en/discounted-me … itius.html

If the food & service is good for the price, I tip them well. But if they charge me more than a local because the item is 'market price' then I do not tip them. If you hear prices quoted to someone else, you can use this to pay the same price. Your family will know lots of places where you can joint them.

When I ask my family how they could overcharged expats & then go to church, they have no real answer. I once asked 'what if that person needs the money more than you do?' The answer was 'I would not overcharge them'. My answer was 'But how can you know this? Are you going to ask them if they have enough money to pay you double the usual price?'

This is an interesting application of situational ethics - i.e. they do it because everyone else around them is doing it.  This is clearly an example of so many cases of having double standards in Mauritius.  When I left the country as a young adult, it took me a long time to learn that there exist fundamental truths - such as fairness, living out personal beliefs, respect for other fellow humans, and sacrifice for the common good.  After I discovered and got rid of the negative aspects of the Mauritian culture, I was able to integrate fully in the North American culture.

Your experience appears to be just the reverse of mine - i.e. your past life in a developed country has shaped your sense of fairness and now you are seeing how many ambiguities exist in Mauritius.  Those are really hard to get used to.

I am not making excuses for Mauritians who perpetuate this culture of holding double-standards but Mauritius is a very small island and Mauritians are a proud (and insular) people.  Expats and returnees who have properly adjusted to western life have a lot to teach to the locals - sometimes by words (like this thread), sometimes by action, and sometimes by being brave and stand for what is right (like what you are trying to do).  It may take a long time for change to happen but it will eventually.

In order to keep my sanity, whenever I visit Mauritius, I tend to spend more time with expats and tourists than with the locals.

As for restaurants, I tend to stick to those that have prices on the menu. You can find some online with set prices: https://restaurants.mu/en/discounted-me … itius.html

Thank you for this list.  Much appreciated.

@prospectorland

This is an interesting application of situational ethics - i.e. they do it because everyone else around them is doing it:

Probably true - it may be a left over from the old days. I know a lot of my family do so many other things because it is the way their great great grandma/pa did it. When I ask them what the rational reason they still do it is they have not response. It is like the story of the wife that always cooked chicken with it's drumsticks/legs cut off: A gentleman married a lady & once they were married, he noticed that every time she cooked roast chicken she would cut the legs off & put them to the side. He asked his wife why. She said 'because that's how you cook a chicken - that's how my mother cooked a chicken'. When he had time alone with his wife's mother he asked her 'Why do you cook a chicken with the legs cut off?'. She said 'because that's how you cook a chicken - that's how my mother cooked a chicken'. He finally met his wife's grandma & asked her 'Why does my wife & mother in law cook a roast chicken with the legs cut off & put to the side of the baking dish?' She answered 'I have no f???ing idea! I used to do that because I had a small pot belly oven in the old days & I couldn't get the f???ing chicken into the oven any other way!'

Fundamental truths:

I love the theory & live by it but I sometimes feel like I am in a minority group because of this. Everywhere & everyone has both negative & positive aspects & to live with inner peace I think we have to accept that - even if it is difficult. I love Mauritius. I was born here & came back here because I want to die here. I love Australia - it too has negative & positive aspects & if I had to choose I would still choose my homeland, Mauritius for rational & sentimental reasons. I think that because Mauritius is a very small island that they get away with things - having said that it works. Eg, it is a small island & if you do something wrong, everyone will know - I think that is why it is generally a peaceful island.

Expats and returnees who have properly adjusted to western life have a lot to teach to the locals - sometimes by words (like this thread), sometimes by action, and sometimes by being brave and stand for what is right (like what you are trying to do).  It may take a long time for change to happen but it will eventually:

I love this & your way of thinking.

What I like about this site is that we can all express our opinion & share. This helps us all learn & grow. Also, it is well regulated to ensure our safety. Thanks to all who have commented & shared. Regardless of our opinions, it's great that we all respect each other here. Have an awesome day. 

hi guys, now that we know the pros and cons of having a good deal or no deal, I think to keep your life simple do please shop where all prices are clearly displayed and regulated. It's best to use your debit/credit card then you won't have to be upset about anything. I don't think it's happening only here, everywhere where you are a tourist and an expat you are more prone for this experience. Keep your outfit as well simple casual and local. My friend's look is always expensive from her designer sunglasses to her most causal handbag and wonder why she never gets a deal. My foreigner friends local in other countries do experience same with the local traders and this range from going to the local markets, booking a taxi, anywhere where one is left at the mercy of the traders. It is advisable to be accompanied by a local friend who speaks the language or knows the abouts in those scenarios. When I was in London I experience same at the Camden Market but as i was buying a designer item for my dad's birthday so won the deal😁👍 so keep it cool, never argue over a bargain if they offer it to you fine. They also have won a returned customer, if not there is always a better deal somewhere else and not all traders are dishonest. I have met luckily with the kindhearted people most of the time. Happy Shopping.

Oh this is a recent one the other day I went to a trader selling faratas and some freshly made gateau piments she forgot to charge me the right amount and I got extra on the change, I returned her change back saying here's an extra for you, it made her day too I guess. I was happy too. and interestingly this has happened a few times so what can I say, Thank you so much.

@vish311

good on ya. so proud that you brought smiles to the local person. that's the way to treat locals.

the indian pancake (farata), dholl puree, chilly cakes are all wonderful. they make my mouth water and i can't resist them when i am down in port louis.

i don't care or can't be bothered or feel paranoid to look over my shoulder to see how much others are paying. i just enjoy those delicious snacks and it's immaterial if i have paid 100 rupees more than others.

cheers

@SOLANGEA I am not loaded but value trust, honesty, generosity and integrity. 👍 thank you. I don't think we can attach a value to that, we give back however much we feel like and if someone has ticked all these boxes the universe will send it back to him. I do believe as well that there is a balance to everything in nature - within the law of the universe. we are all part of it.