🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $546 in Mauritania versus $713 in China.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $931 in Mauritania versus $1,132 in China.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,316 in Mauritania versus $1,551 in China.
🙂Living in Mauritania costs about 23% less than in China on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Mauritania59% lower, China47% lower.
📏Mauritania ($266–$826) and China ($535–$1,206) 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
$3.31MRU 132
$2.86¥19.36
15.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.45MRU 975
$23.29¥158
4.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.21MRU 247
$4.83¥32.66
28.57%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.93MRU 77.0
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56MRU 102
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.44MRU 97.3
$3.04¥20.52
-19.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73MRU 68.9
$0.45¥3.03
284.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15MRU 85.7
$0.27¥1.81
696.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.99¥6.71
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.03¥13.74
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mauritania
China
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44MRU 57.3
$1.75¥11.86
-17.71%
White Bread(500g)
$0.29MRU 11.42
$1.67¥11.31
-82.63%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.19MRU 47.35
$0.97¥6.56
22.68%
Eggs
$2.25MRU 89.7
$1.54¥10.45
46.10%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.97MRU 318
$13.30¥89.9
-40.08%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.93MRU 196
$3.21¥21.69
53.58%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.55MRU 261
$10.79¥73.0
-39.30%
Apples(1kg)
$2.11MRU 83.9
$1.81¥12.27
16.57%
Banana(1kg)
$1.76MRU 70.1
$1.31¥8.84
34.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.30MRU 51.9
$1.50¥10.15
-13.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.00MRU 39.67
$1.14¥7.74
-12.28%
Potato(1kg)
$0.78MRU 31.11
$0.73¥4.90
6.85%
Onion(1kg)
$0.77MRU 30.51
$0.87¥5.86
-11.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.59MRU 23.59
$0.57¥3.85
3.51%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70MRU 27.81
$0.54¥3.63
29.63%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$10.02MRU 400
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.54MRU 101
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71MRU 68.2
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.49MRU 99.5
$3.53¥23.88
-29.46%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$11.71¥79.2
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.84¥5.67
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.67¥11.29
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mauritania
China
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.46MRU 18.49
$0.41¥2.75
12.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.02MRU 718
$20.78¥141
-13.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.84MRU 33.61
$1.36¥9.21
-38.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.26MRU 10.40
$0.33¥2.21
-21.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.66MRU 265
$6.86¥46.40
-2.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MRU 52.3
$1.12¥7.57
16.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,494MRU 298.7K
$19.2K¥129.8K
-60.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$9,323MRU 371.6K
$16.9K¥114.4K
-44.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mauritania
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$145MRU 5,763
$51.8¥350
179.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.44MRU 1,014
$9.85¥66.6
158.27%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.7MRU 2,378
$11.13¥75.3
436.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mauritania
China
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$86.5MRU 3,448
$39.10¥264
121.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$256MRU 10.2K
$14.89¥101
1619.01%
Cinema Ticket
$4.46MRU 178
$6.25¥42.24
-28.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mauritania
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$83.0MRU 3,307
$404¥2,732
-79.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,899MRU 235.1K
$17.8K¥120.5K
-66.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mauritania
China
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.80MRU 829
$46.11¥312
-54.89%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.00MRU 837
$32.27¥218
-34.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$70.0MRU 2,788
$72.7¥491
-3.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$35.01MRU 1,395
$72.9¥493
-51.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mauritania
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$185MRU 7,388
$445¥3,009
-58.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$138MRU 5,496
$255¥1,727
-46.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$642MRU 25.6K
$927¥6,266
-30.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$274MRU 10.9K
$532¥3,600
-48.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,431MRU 256.4K
$4,943¥33.4K
30.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,003MRU 119.7K
$2,492¥16.9K
20.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mauritania
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$564MRU 22.5K
$1,057¥7,148
-46.63%
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: June 8, 2026
Last update for China: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $147 in Mauritania, $286 in China. Capital cities: $229 in Nouakchott vs $913 in Beijing (Pekin).
💰National salary averages: $569 in Mauritania, $862 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 51% 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 $871 per month in China and $546 in Mauritania, there's a 59% 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