🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $559 in Mauritania versus $711 in China.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $927 in Mauritania versus $1,131 in China.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,294 in Mauritania versus $1,550 in China.
🙂Living in Mauritania costs about 21% less than in China on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Mauritania58% lower, China47% lower.
📏Mauritania ($266–$852) and China ($525–$1,220) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mauritania
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.39MRU 136
$2.75¥18.83
23.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.40MRU 979
$24.03¥165
1.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.34MRU 254
$4.96¥33.95
27.82%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.95MRU 78.0
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49MRU 100
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.41MRU 96.6
$3.12¥21.37
-22.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74MRU 69.9
$0.48¥3.26
262.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12MRU 85.0
$0.27¥1.84
685.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.98¥6.73
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.15¥14.69
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mauritania
China
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.45MRU 58.1
$1.83¥12.53
-20.77%
White Bread(500g)
$0.31MRU 12.59
$1.68¥11.54
-81.55%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.20MRU 48.02
$0.91¥6.21
31.87%
Eggs
$2.26MRU 90.7
$1.56¥10.66
44.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.29MRU 332
$12.97¥88.9
-36.08%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.79MRU 192
$3.25¥22.23
47.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.75MRU 271
$10.51¥72.0
-35.78%
Apples(1kg)
$2.08MRU 83.4
$1.81¥12.41
14.92%
Banana(1kg)
$1.81MRU 72.6
$1.30¥8.90
39.23%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.25MRU 50.3
$1.50¥10.26
-16.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.94MRU 37.59
$1.15¥7.87
-18.26%
Potato(1kg)
$0.79MRU 31.49
$0.76¥5.20
3.95%
Onion(1kg)
$0.76MRU 30.63
$0.89¥6.07
-14.61%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.55MRU 22.20
$0.58¥3.97
-5.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64MRU 25.62
$0.58¥3.95
10.34%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$10.13MRU 406
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.57MRU 103
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73MRU 69.3
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.57MRU 103
$3.50¥23.95
-26.57%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$11.55¥79.1
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.78¥5.31
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.61¥11.03
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mauritania
China
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.49MRU 19.66
$0.44¥3.01
11.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$17.71MRU 710
$21.15¥145
-16.26%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.90MRU 36.18
$1.36¥9.35
-33.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.24MRU 9.56
$0.36¥2.44
-33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.42MRU 257
$6.61¥45.28
-2.87%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MRU 50.8
$1.13¥7.74
12.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,538MRU 302.4K
$19.7K¥135.2K
-61.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$9,386MRU 376.5K
$17.1K¥117.0K
-45.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mauritania
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$144MRU 5,790
$50.9¥349
183.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.28MRU 1,014
$10.03¥68.7
152.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.9MRU 2,403
$11.33¥77.6
428.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mauritania
China
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$86.6MRU 3,474
$40.13¥275
115.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$255MRU 10.2K
$14.97¥103
1603.14%
Cinema Ticket
$4.49MRU 180
$6.09¥41.74
-26.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mauritania
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$81.2MRU 3,258
$418¥2,860
-80.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,847MRU 234.5K
$17.3K¥118.2K
-66.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mauritania
China
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.87MRU 837
$46.40¥318
-55.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.15MRU 848
$32.92¥226
-35.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.4MRU 2,785
$71.1¥487
-2.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$35.90MRU 1,440
$72.9¥499
-50.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mauritania
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$185MRU 7,427
$438¥3,003
-57.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$139MRU 5,569
$259¥1,775
-46.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$631MRU 25.3K
$926¥6,341
-31.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$273MRU 10.9K
$548¥3,754
-50.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,602MRU 264.8K
$5,047¥34.6K
30.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,619MRU 65.0K
$2,666¥18.3K
-39.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mauritania
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$570MRU 22.9K
$1,074¥7,357
-46.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.5
4.06
306.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mauritania: April 26, 2026
Last update for China: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $147 in Mauritania, $286 in China. Capital cities: $229 in Nouakchott vs $886 in Beijing (Pekin).
💰National salary averages: $558 in Mauritania, $834 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 95% higher in China.
⭐Public transport is 100% more expensive in China.
⭐Salaries are 49% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Mauritania vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Mauritania?
At $873 per month in China and $559 in Mauritania, there's a 56% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: China or Mauritania?
Mauritania is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between China and Mauritania?
Rent in China beats Mauritania across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $1,000 go in China vs Mauritania?
In Mauritania, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In China, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in China and Mauritania?
It depends on what you're after. Mauritania wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
Mauritania vs other spots: cost of living compared