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: $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: Mauritania 58% lower, China 47% 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
$3.39 MRU 136
$2.75 ¥18.83
23.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.40 MRU 979
$24.03 ¥165
1.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.34 MRU 254
$4.96 ¥33.95
27.82%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.95 MRU 78.0
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 MRU 100
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.41 MRU 96.6
$3.12 ¥21.37
-22.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 MRU 69.9
$0.48 ¥3.26
262.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 MRU 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)
$1.45 MRU 58.1
$1.83 ¥12.53
-20.77%
White Bread (500g)
$0.31 MRU 12.59
$1.68 ¥11.54
-81.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.20 MRU 48.02
$0.91 ¥6.21
31.87%
Eggs
$2.26 MRU 90.7
$1.56 ¥10.66
44.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.29 MRU 332
$12.97 ¥88.9
-36.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.79 MRU 192
$3.25 ¥22.23
47.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.75 MRU 271
$10.51 ¥72.0
-35.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.08 MRU 83.4
$1.81 ¥12.41
14.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 MRU 72.6
$1.30 ¥8.90
39.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.25 MRU 50.3
$1.50 ¥10.26
-16.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.94 MRU 37.59
$1.15 ¥7.87
-18.26%
Potato (1kg)
$0.79 MRU 31.49
$0.76 ¥5.20
3.95%
Onion (1kg)
$0.76 MRU 30.63
$0.89 ¥6.07
-14.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.55 MRU 22.20
$0.58 ¥3.97
-5.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 MRU 25.62
$0.58 ¥3.95
10.34%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$10.13 MRU 406
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 MRU 103
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 MRU 69.3
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.57 MRU 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)
$0.49 MRU 19.66
$0.44 ¥3.01
11.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.71 MRU 710
$21.15 ¥145
-16.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.90 MRU 36.18
$1.36 ¥9.35
-33.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.24 MRU 9.56
$0.36 ¥2.44
-33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.42 MRU 257
$6.61 ¥45.28
-2.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MRU 50.8
$1.13 ¥7.74
12.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,538 MRU 302.4K
$19.7K ¥135.2K
-61.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$9,386 MRU 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)
$144 MRU 5,790
$50.9 ¥349
183.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.28 MRU 1,014
$10.03 ¥68.7
152.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.9 MRU 2,403
$11.33 ¥77.6
428.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mauritania
China
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$86.6 MRU 3,474
$40.13 ¥275
115.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$255 MRU 10.2K
$14.97 ¥103
1603.14%
Cinema Ticket
$4.49 MRU 180
$6.09 ¥41.74
-26.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mauritania
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$81.2 MRU 3,258
$418 ¥2,860
-80.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,847 MRU 234.5K
$17.3K ¥118.2K
-66.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mauritania
China
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.87 MRU 837
$46.40 ¥318
-55.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.15 MRU 848
$32.92 ¥226
-35.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.4 MRU 2,785
$71.1 ¥487
-2.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$35.90 MRU 1,440
$72.9 ¥499
-50.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mauritania
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$185 MRU 7,427
$438 ¥3,003
-57.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$139 MRU 5,569
$259 ¥1,775
-46.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$631 MRU 25.3K
$926 ¥6,341
-31.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$273 MRU 10.9K
$548 ¥3,754
-50.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,602 MRU 264.8K
$5,047 ¥34.6K
30.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,619 MRU 65.0K
$2,666 ¥18.3K
-39.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mauritania
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$570 MRU 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

Similar countries