Cost of Living Comparison Between Mauritania and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Mauritania and China

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $500 in Mauritania versus $717 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $846 in Mauritania versus $1,144 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,191 in Mauritania versus $1,571 in China.

Living in Mauritania costs about 30% less than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Mauritania 63% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $454 to $1,242, compared to $264$736 in Mauritania. City choice carries more weight in China.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mauritania
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.56 MRU 103
$3.03 ¥20.46
-15.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.67 MRU 907
$21.79 ¥147
4.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.89 MRU 235
$5.30 ¥35.73
11.13%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.76 MRU 70.5
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 MRU 71.4
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.22 MRU 88.9
$3.00 ¥20.19
-26.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 MRU 69.9
$0.47 ¥3.17
272.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 MRU 88.4
$0.28 ¥1.87
689.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.05 ¥7.09
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.16 ¥14.58
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mauritania
China
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 MRU 59.9
$1.81 ¥12.17
-17.13%
White Bread (500g)
$0.28 MRU 11.33
$1.70 ¥11.45
-83.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.27 MRU 50.8
$0.93 ¥6.25
36.56%
Eggs
$2.16 MRU 86.3
$1.60 ¥10.80
35.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.14 MRU 246
$13.09 ¥88.3
-53.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.83 MRU 193
$3.38 ¥22.77
42.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.66 MRU 266
$11.00 ¥74.2
-39.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 MRU 88.7
$1.79 ¥12.06
24.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 MRU 68.5
$1.28 ¥8.63
33.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.31 MRU 52.3
$1.52 ¥10.23
-13.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.83 MRU 33.25
$1.25 ¥8.41
-33.60%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 MRU 32.77
$0.75 ¥5.07
9.33%
Onion (1kg)
$0.75 MRU 29.82
$0.94 ¥6.31
-20.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.77 MRU 30.60
$0.60 ¥4.04
28.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 MRU 23.40
$0.59 ¥4.00
-
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$9.97 MRU 399
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 MRU 102
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 MRU 70.7
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.46 MRU 98.4
$3.79 ¥25.53
-35.09%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$12.07 ¥81.3
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.83 ¥5.63
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.65 ¥11.11
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mauritania
China
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.47 MRU 18.70
$0.31 ¥2.12
51.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.22 MRU 888
$22.43 ¥151
-0.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.84 MRU 33.53
$1.44 ¥9.73
-41.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 MRU 15.50
$0.35 ¥2.34
11.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.82 MRU 193
$7.24 ¥48.82
-33.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 MRU 51.6
$1.26 ¥8.49
2.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,432 MRU 297.2K
$19.2K ¥129.7K
-61.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$9,238 MRU 369.4K
$16.8K ¥113.3K
-45.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mauritania
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$129 MRU 5,147
$54.7 ¥369
135.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.75 MRU 870
$8.50 ¥57.3
155.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.7 MRU 2,427
$10.54 ¥71.1
475.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mauritania
China
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.96 MRU 1,198
$39.63 ¥267
-24.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$248 MRU 9,902
$14.45 ¥97.4
1613.49%
Cinema Ticket
$4.00 MRU 160
$6.47 ¥43.64
-38.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mauritania
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$450 MRU 18.0K
$451 ¥3,039
-0.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,502 MRU 300.0K
$19.0K ¥128.0K
-60.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mauritania
China
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.81 MRU 912
$44.39 ¥299
-48.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.12 MRU 925
$34.50 ¥233
-32.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.3 MRU 2,690
$75.0 ¥506
-10.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.14 MRU 1,645
$77.8 ¥525
-47.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mauritania
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$191 MRU 7,644
$379 ¥2,555
-49.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$141 MRU 5,656
$231 ¥1,554
-38.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$719 MRU 28.7K
$825 ¥5,561
-12.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$278 MRU 11.1K
$476 ¥3,207
-41.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,505 MRU 260.1K
$4,572 ¥30.8K
42.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,032 MRU 121.3K
$2,328 ¥15.7K
30.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mauritania
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$570 MRU 22.8K
$1,066 ¥7,184
-46.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20
3.48
474.71%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mauritania: August 4, 2026

Last update for China: August 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $141 in Mauritania, $294 in China. Capital cities: $218 in Nouakchott vs $955 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $578 in Mauritania, $854 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 109% higher in China.

Public transport is 55% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 48% higher in China.

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 $848 per month in China and $500 in Mauritania, there's a 70% 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Mauritania: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 compared to Mauritania?
In Mauritania, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in China it stretches only to regional areas and 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 in 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.

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